


Mother Knows Best

by CapricornHunter



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Gen, Swan Queen - Freeform, Swan-Mills Family, some violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-24
Updated: 2018-02-24
Packaged: 2019-03-23 12:07:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13787403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CapricornHunter/pseuds/CapricornHunter
Summary: When Cora comes to Storybrooke intent on breaking her daughter once more, Regina must rely on those closest to her to help put an end to the never-ending cycle of heartbreak and betrayal. Emma and Henry remind her that love is not weakness; it's strength.





	Mother Knows Best

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Emma_Swan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emma_Swan/gifts).



> First off, special shout-out and thank you to Emma_Swan, without whom this fic would never have been completed. You like awesome SQ fic? Check 'em out.
> 
> Hey guys! So it's been a while...but I finally finished something. This fic has been sitting in my "Incomplete" folder longer than I'd like to admit, but it's done! And, yeah, I know Cora's been gone a while and people like to write SQ AUs or focus on more recent events, but I always thought that every SQ writer worth their salt had a Cora fic or two lying around. This is my contribution to the pile.
> 
> Also, please consider this AU (with a different ending) from 2x16 "The Miller's Daughter".
> 
> Hope you all enjoy!

“Regina, dear, make your choice before I make it for you,” Cora threatened in her usually smooth voice, gripping the heart in her hand just a little bit tighter.

Regina felt a slight, painful tugging in her chest from the pressure, and looked at the two captives in front of her. Henry was to her right and bound tightly with thick ropes that the boy had no hope of escaping. To her left, Emma was tied to a lamp post, the magical bindings around her wrists preventing her from using any of her magic. She tried, unsuccessfully, to tap into her light magic and break them, but the enchantment was powerful and unlike anything they had ever seen before.

At Cora’s demand, Emma grunted and tugged on her bindings in a futile attempt to free herself. Henry squirmed uncomfortably, and Regina could see the way the rope burned and cut into his skin. She attempted to swallow though her throat had already closed from how desperately she was holding her emotions in.

“You can’t make me do this, Mother,” she responded, not as strongly as she wanted. “I won’t do this.” Cora sighed.

“How many times do I have to tell you, Regina? Love is weakness,” she scolded in a light and airy voice, as if the situation wasn’t nearly as dire as it was. “You can’t possibly believe that this boy and…that peasant can give you what you need in life, can you? Emotions cloud your judgment, cause you to make mistakes, and ultimately make you  _ weak _ , especially in the face of an enemy,” she finished with a smirk, her dark eyes shining with a hint of danger as she swept her gaze from her daughter to the snivelling boy and that insufferable woman Regina insisted on wasting her time with. It disgusted her.

Regina whirled around to face her and seethed, her eyes glaring daggers at her mother for putting her through this heartache,  _ again _ . She needed to do something, anything, but with Cora literally holding her heart in her hand, Regina's hands were tied.

“Mother, the only things I’ve ever wanted in life, the only things I’ve dreamed of, were finding love, a family, and a home I could call my own. Henry and Emma give that to me!” Regina attempted to reason, in spite of the knowing voice in her head whispering how futile it was. “They are all I need in life. I love our son more than anything, and Emma and I are stronger together. The  _ three of us _ are stronger together. You…” Regina trailed off, slightly hesitant. Then she shook her head and looked up at Cora, a new determination finding its way in her voice and posture. “You  _ never _ gave that to me. All my life, the only thing I ever wanted from you was to be loved by you, and to make you proud. But now I know that you really were heartless all along,” she finished in a pained voice. Regina attempted to mask it but, despite lacking a heart at the moment, she still felt it.

“And how could you ever make me proud, you stupid girl?” Cora spat venomously. “Nothing I ever taught you about life and power ever took root, as your head was always filled with silly and childish thoughts of  _ love _ .” Regina flinched, not having expected to hear her mother say that so outright. 

“Mom, don’t listen to her!” Henry called from behind despite his obvious fear, and Regina glanced over her shoulder to see him. “You don’t need her approval. You have us, and we love you. We’re your family,” he reminded, his voice insistent. Regina gave a small, watery smile in return. 

“The kid’s right, Regina,” Emma added in a strong voice, looking directly at her when she spoke. “The three of us are a family and nothing could ever break that. We’re proud of you, and we love you.” At those words, Regina's chest tightened, but not from pain. She realized that no matter what happened, she could always count on Emma and their son to help her through anything, no matter what it was. Cora was not amused.

“Do these fools not understand the value of silence?” she hissed, waving her hand in the air and gagging Emma and Henry so they could no longer speak. Cora smirked as she heard their muffled voices and found satisfaction in silencing them. She did not need them confusing her daughter further. 

Regina tensed in anger and let out a low growl. In a rare surge of defiance, she flicked her wrist and the gags disappeared almost as quickly as they came. 

“You dare defy your mother, Regina?” Cora demanded in a harsh tone, her eyes slits. 

“You’ve ruined my life enough,” Regina retorted, clenching her fists tightly at her sides. “I won’t stand for it any longer.” The older witch laughed.

“Oh dear, you have me confused with someone else. For years didn’t you swear to take revenge on the sweet Snow White, the one who truly had a hand in destroying your so-called happiness?” Cora said with a saccharine smile. Regina felt her blood boiling.

“Things have changed,” she ground out through clenched teeth. “And I have come to realize and accept who really is responsible for what happened.” 

“Well, the young brat proved useful in more ways than one,” her mother mentioned with a flippant wave of her hand. “Pity you didn’t destroy her when you had the chance.” She raised an eyebrow then, when she noticed Emma struggling with her bonds and glaring venomously at her.

“When I get out of here…” Emma threatened, suddenly going still and trying to focus all of her power in breaking the hold the ancient magic held on her.

“What will you do? Kill me,  _ Saviour _ ?” Cora mocked. “You claim to love my daughter, yet you would kill her own mother.” She turned to her daughter then, pretending to look wounded. “I am so disappointed that you would keep such horrible company, Regina. Someone who would want to permanently remove me from your life…” When Emma snarled at her in response, Cora tutted at her behaviour.

“Now, I cannot decide which one of you irritates me the most: you, or your insufferable mother. You are both so childish and undisciplined,” Cora remarked almost casually. “It was a relief to finally  _ take care _ of that selfish nuisance once and for all.”

Emma stopped her struggling momentarily as the blood drained from her face. She refused to believe that anything happened to Snow, but Cora would go as far as she deemed necessary to see her plans come to fruition.

“What the hell did you do to her!?” Emma shouted, pulling at her bindings even harder than before, a surge of anger shooting up her spine and jolting her into action.

“Oh, and such a temper,” Cora continued, taking in the murderous look in Emma's eyes and her bared teeth. “What a temper, indeed.” She paused, and then decided to drive the nail further. “Once I took care of her, it was quite easy to eliminate her dear prince as well. All their talk of ‘the power of True Love’ was utterly sickening to hear. I did you all a favour.”

“NO!!!” Emma screamed as she tugged hard on the magical bindings, needing to do something to distract herself from the stabbing pain she felt. She couldn’t have lost her parents. She just found them. Snow and Charming were supposed to be part of their family, part of their lives.

“You’re lying!” 

“Now why would I lie about that?” Cora responded slowly, dark eyes boring into forest green ones. Emma flinched at the tone and shook her head. 

“Emma, don’t listen to her,” Regina warned in a firm tone, attempting to calm Emma down. 

“She killed my parents!!!” Emma shouted in response, her eyes watering with each passing moment. She then turned her gaze to Cora. “I don’t care what I have to do, you’re going to pay for this! You’re not getting away with any of this, I swear!”

Taking a moment to bask in the pleasure of seeing the town’s precious Saviour so broken, she then let out an exaggerated sigh and waved her hand lazily in the air. Suddenly Emma went stock still and screamed in agony as dark blue bolts crackled along her body, shocking her system completely and burning her skin.

“Ma! MA!” Henry cried fearfully, scared for his mother and feeling so utterly helpless and distraught at what Cora told them. He then turned wide, desperate eyes towards his other mother. “Mom, help her!!!”

“Ah, ah, ah, Regina,” Cora warned just as Regina was prepared to enact a counter-spell to stop the electricity. “Interfere and the consequences will be dire.” That made Regina stop and stare with wide eyes, helpless as Emma was tortured again, and by her own mother.

Thankfully it stopped soon enough, and if it wasn’t for the magical bindings the Saviour would have slumped to the ground in a wounded heap, unable to support herself. She was gasping for much needed air and trembling from the aftershocks, her muscles still twitching from the current that passed through them over and over again.

“Emma?” Regina called out softly, suddenly fearful that more damage than she could see had been done.

“Ma? Ma, are you ok…?” Henry asked, his normally deeper voice higher in pitch from his worry. Regina let out a heavy breath when she heard the soft groan coming from the Saviour. Emma’s head tilted up and she looked at Henry. 

“S’ok, Kid,” she mumbled. “I’ve…had worse.” This did little to reassure their son, but he nodded weakly and looked at Regina. She knew better than to discredit anything Emma said if it made their son feel better. If she were to be honest, she needed it as well.

“Yes, yes, how touching,” Cora muttered impatiently. She then glanced at the glowing red heart in her hand, examining the various cracks and remaining dark splotches that marred the delicate organ. “Regina, this has gone on long enough. I suggest you do as you are told and make your decision. There are other things to do, and I am running out of patience.”

“I already told you, Mother. I’m not doing this. You can’t make me choose,” Regina's voice shook slightly, but she clenched her fists and held her ground. Cora frowned deeply.

“If you do not choose whose heart to take,” Cora began with a firm squeeze to Regina's heart, causing her to gasp in pain, “Then I will choose for you, and you will not like the choice I make.” Regina's eyes widened and she shook her head ever so slightly, growing more fearful with each passing moment.

Cora stood and waited, the only sounds in the still and quiet air being Emma's shallow breaths and the soft  _ ba-bump _ ,  _ ba-bump _ of Regina's beating heart.

Regina attempted to reign in her frazzled emotions, knowing that she needed a clear head to think of a plan. She would not choose between the two people she loved most. There had to be a way to save them both without hurting either of them.

“I am waiting, Regina,” the witch warned testily. Regina turned to face Emma and Henry, looking at them with wide and uncertain eyes. Emma gazed back at her without an ounce of fear in her steady green gaze. Henry tried to be brave, though Regina knew her son well and could see just how frightened he was. It physically ached to see him like that, and Regina realized that, despite how vehemently she was against choosing between the two of them, she knew who she would save.

Looking at Emma, Regina could see that Emma knew it, too.

“Regina, I grow weary of your insolence,” Cora suddenly spoke, her voice sharp. “Now you will suffer for it.” She gripped the heart in her fist tightly, just enough to cause intense pain and obedience without crushing it. Regina gripped her chest and cried out from how tight her insides felt, and it was difficult to breathe. 

Entirely of its own volition, her body turned to the right and took slow, heavy steps towards Henry, her right arm outstretched. She let out a loud noise of protest as she tried with every fibre of her being to resist the hold her mother had over her, but it was to no avail. No matter how hard she pushed back and fought the overwhelming force pushing her forward, it did little to halt or even slow her progress. In her concentration, she faintly heard Emma screaming at her from the left, begging her to stop and do what she needed to do to put an end to the madness.

“Mother, Mother stop!” Regina cried out in desperation, her dark eyes wide in terror. Henry was trembling in fear, knowing that his mother was not the one responsible for this but terrified all the same. 

“Mom, please…” he trailed off in a tremulous voice. That’s all it took and Regina snapped.

“EMMA'S HEART!” she shouted frantically, her whole body shaking from the effort to slow down and buy herself enough time to change course. “I’ll take Emma's heart,” she finished in a choked voice, her throat completely closing up as she looked at Emma with decades’ old pain and anguish swirling in dark irises. 

“Good, Regina,” Cora praised, though it lacked any real emotion behind it. “Perhaps taking action yourself will solidify every lesson I ever gave, culminating in this final task: the ultimate test,” she hissed with barely contained pleasure. 

Regina wasn’t listening. The only thing she could think of was the night she lost her first love in the most barbaric way possible, years and years ago, but still fresh in her mind and in her heart. For a moment, just a moment, she swore she saw Daniel standing before her, tied to the lamp post and pleading with her to do what was right. It caused angry tears to well in her eyes and spill down her cheeks in hot torrents, and her vision blurred. 

When she blinked it was Emma standing there, just as she had always been, and it made Regina's heart stop. The Saviour did not appear scared or worried or angry. She stood there looking as calm as was possible in this situation, her gaze never wavering from Regina's. Her body language suggested a kind of resignation, as if she already knew what was to come and had long accepted her fate. It killed Regina to see her like this, to know that this time, the heart of the one she loved would be ripped out by her own hand. 

She slowly inched closer, clinging to the possibility that they would all make it through this relatively unscathed. It was the only thing she had. When she was in front of Emma she kept her head down, unable to look her in the eye and see the acceptance she knew she would find there.

“Regina, darling, don’t be nervous now,” her mother said in a silky voice. “I know you have taken hearts before, so easily and without remorse. You can do it again now.” 

“Mom, what are you…” Henry started to say, but he was shocked into near silence. His mom wouldn’t do that to his other mother, would she? There had to be another way.

“It’s alright, Henry,” Emma finally spoke, her voice soft and even. Resigned. This caused Regina to finally look up. “Everything’s going to be alright. I believe that.” Her gaze never strayed from Regina’s, making sure the woman she loved knew that it was ok, and that it would work out in the end like things always did. Emma’s unshakable faith in her always amazed Regina, and this time was no different.

A thought suddenly struck Regina, and she saw it as an opportunity, her one final chance to avert this crisis and find a way to free Emma and Henry. That way Emma could take their son somewhere safe and she could deal with her mother, once and for all. She did not want anything to happen to them. This was her fight.

“If I am not mistaken, Mother,” Regina mentioned in a smooth voice, peering over her shoulder at her mother, “When you attempted to take Emma’s heart, you were magically forced out. What makes you think I will be any more successful?” Regina put everything she had into sounding sceptical that Cora’s plan would work at all, knowing that detail and sincerely hoping that she would be just as unsuccessful.

“Because, my dear daughter, that woman is in love with you,” she explained, and Regina could hear the thinly veiled disgust in her voice. “Knowing this simple fact, I do believe that you will be allowed to extract the heart of the Saviour.” 

"Mom! Mom, you can't!" Regina heard, and she turned to find her son wriggling around in an attempt to free himself from his bonds. "You can't give Ma's heart to Cora. She's evil!" Regina's heart broke at Henry's desperate pleas, understanding his fear completely. Her eyes stung as she felt the hopelessness taking over, pulling her under before she could think of something, anything to do that would fix this.

"And what would I do with her heart, dear boy?" Cora asked in a bored tone. "No, Regina is going to take the heart of her 'lover' and she is going to crush it with her bare hand." 

At Cora’s words, Regina could no longer hold back the tears and she allowed them to fall freely now.

"Emma, I can't," Regina confessed, her voice broken as she leaned closer to the Saviour. "I could never lose Henry, but you... I can't lose you either. I  _ can't _ lose you, too."

Emma swallowed hard but she whispered, "It's alright. I trust you."

"Even though I'm about to take your heart right out of your chest?" Regina murmured, placing a steadying hand on Emma's right shoulder, attempting to ground herself somehow.

"Especially because of that," Emma answered breathily.

"Get on with it, Regina!" Cora demanded from behind. "If you continue to fail, I will make you remove your son's heart first. Then your precious lover can watch as you kill him before you crush hers to dust." There was a dangerous glint in the Queen of Hearts' dark eyes, looking akin to black holes. Regina whimpered at the thought but nodded weakly, knowing her mother could see.

Placing her right palm against Emma's chest, right above her beating heart that was healthy and strong and  _ whole _ , she took a breath and stared directly into Emma's eyes, silently asking for forgiveness. 

"It's ok, Regina," Emma assured her, wetting her lips and gasping as Regina's hand passed through and into her chest for the first time and grasped her heart tenderly, almost lovingly. The Saviour expected pain or discomfort, something similar to Cora's assault on her body while in the Enchanted Forest, but nothing came. There was no pain, only a warm pressure.

Looking at Emma's face and hearing her gasp, Regina hated herself in that moment. She hated herself, knowing that she was about to rip the heart of the woman she loved right out of her chest, just the same way her mother did to Daniel all those years ago. The situation was even worse, even more terrible, because her son,  _ their _ son, was there to witness it.

In spite of everything, Regina was shocked at how light and warm Emma's heart was. It felt strong despite its lightness, and it gave off a searing heat as opposed to the dull warmth of normal hearts. The heart beat was strong and steady, and in that moment all Regina could feel was  _ Emma _ . Dark brown eyes searched forest green ones and Emma smiled weakly, letting out a breathy sigh.

"It's ok, Regina," she repeated, softly and with as much sincerity as she could. "Take it. It's yours." Regina let out a choked sob, hearing the unspoken words and feeling her chest tighten painfully from the sentiment. She nodded once and slowly retracted her hand, watching as, to her amazement and heart-sinking despair, she easily pulled out Emma's heart.

Regina stared at it curiously, momentarily fascinated. Instead of the normal fluorescent red typical of most hearts, Emma's was a rich and deep red-gold colour. However it was not left untouched, and Regina could make out the faint cracks on its surface, some mostly healed while others were fresher. The rhythmic beating reached her ears, loud and strong and steady, and she glanced up at Emma to see her just as shocked.

A faint, pleased  _ yes  _ was heard and Regina turned her head to see her mother grinning wickedly, eyes trained on the beating heart in her hand. Regina looked down and grasped it tighter, but only slightly so as not to cause Emma any pain. She brought it closer towards her chest, as if to protect it from Cora’s hungry gaze.

“Now, Regina,” the Queen of Hearts began, her eyes flicking up to her daughter’s, “Do what needs to be done. Crush it. Crush it, and be done with this misguided life you have led thus far.” Regina swallowed hard, feeling her stomach tense and her chest restrict painfully. She was completely frozen, completely unable and unwilling to go through with it. She had already lost one love to her mother’s treacherous ways; how could she allow it to happen again? Now that she had finally found true happiness with Emma and Henry, how could she let it be ripped from her once again?

“Regina…” Emma stirred behind her, appearing suddenly drained. She felt weak and it was difficult to breathe, and the feeling had only intensified once her heart was removed. Regina whirled back around and looked Emma over, noticing the colour had drained from Emma's already pale face and her eyes had lost their vibrancy. Regina felt panic seize her.

“No, no, Emma, it’s fine. Things will be fine,” she said in what she hoped was a soothing voice, attempting to reassure Emma, and herself as well. “I will fix this, but you have to stay with me, alright?” Her voice was soft, pleading, as the Saviour struggled to lift her head and catch Regina’s worried gaze. She nodded weakly, breathing heavily as she fought to remain conscious.

“Regina!” Cora’s sudden call snapped Regina out of her concern and she turned to face her mother, still holding Emma's heart close to her chest. “How  _ long _ do I have to wait for you to finish your task? Do as you are told,” she ground out, her dark eyes flashing with anger.

“Mother, I-”

“No, wait!” Henry’s voice cried out, desperate in his attempt to attract his mom’s attention. He knew it was useless to struggle, but he was so restless, and seeing his mother’s heart being taken had shaken him greatly. However, he believed in his mothers more than anything, and he knew without a doubt that they would find a way to vanquish evil and save the day. They just needed help.

“Mom, put Ma’s heart in your chest!” he instructed when he knew he had Regina’s full attention. At her uncertain and fearful look, he continued, ever aware that Cora was present and listening to every word they said. “Just do it! You need one right now, and you can use hers!”

Cora looked stricken, and if she was startled or surprised by this, she did not let it show. Instead, she narrowed her eyes and took quick, measured steps towards Henry. Her fingers flexed as she prepared to punish the boy for his petulance.

“No!” Regina cried, throwing out her arm and sending a dark shockwave at Cora, hoping to push the old witch away from her son before she could do anything. Barely pausing or sparing a glance at her daughter, Cora extended her left hand and made to snatch something out of the air. Regina was shocked to see her shockwave disappear as if it had simply evaporated, but she threw herself protectively over Emma and held on tight as she realized that her mother had  _ caught _ her spell and flung it right back in retaliation.

The blast was painful, and Regina’s vice-like grip on Emma's shoulders kept her from flying backwards from the force of it. She recovered quickly, and finally took action when she saw her mother getting closer to Henry. 

With a sharp intake of breath, she gripped Emma's heart and plunged it into her chest. Regina did not bother to make it as comfortable as possible, as time was of the essence, and Emma was fading fast. Once she felt the beating organ inside, she gasped as if in pain, but felt invigorated and strong. Emma coughed and breathed in deeply, her eyes widening at the sensation of her heart entering someone else’s body. 

Regina could not fathom how exactly this was possible, but she could feel an overwhelming rush of power through her body, a dose of pure magic flowing through her veins and charging her system. She felt whole once more, but her emotions seemed to be amplified from what they were before she lost her heart. Regina could not dwell on this, however, as she was focused on trying to save her son from whatever punishment her mother was about to enact. 

She raised both arms and concentrated on protecting Henry and felt the swelling force of the magic inside her respond. Twin bursts of pure, red energy flew out of her hands and collided with Cora, knocking her backwards several meters away. 

Taking the opportunity she was given, Regina ran over to her son and checked him for any sign of injury, releasing the ropes that bound him still. He launched himself into her arms and she held him tightly, as if afraid that were she to let go, he would disappear permanently. Knowing time was of the essence, she pulled back and took his face in her hands, making sure he was looking at her and listening to every word.

“Henry, I need you to go over to where your mother is and  _ stay _ there. Stay behind her if you can,” she instructed, her tone leaving no room for argument. Henry opened his mouth to interrupt, but Regina cut him off before he could speak. “Whatever you were going to say, the answer is no. You need to be safe. If you and Emma can stay together, or at least be in the same place, I can more easily protect you both. Now, go.” She gave him a light shove behind her and watched him run off.

Just as she turned back to where her mother landed, Regina was forced back against the pole Henry was tied to, magic constricting her throat and keeping her pinned against it. The murderous look in Cora’s eyes was unlike anything Regina had ever seen. She felt like a teenager again, her mother’s magic tying her up and keeping in her place, punishing her for every little transgression, no matter how small or inconsequential. Her body reacted immediately, going completely still, arms stiff at her sides and fists clenched. She needed to fight back, needed to throw Cora off her, but for a moment all she could think was  _ Be a good girl, and Mother will let you go. _

Cora was now two feet away from her, arm extended and fingers grasping the air, and Regina started to squirm.

“How dare you?” Cora seethed. “How  _ dare  _ you do this to me, Regina? After everything I did for you, after everything I’ve sacrificed!?” The grip around her throat tightened and Regina almost choked.

“All of this, everything, was for  _ you _ ! You were destined for greatness, Regina! You should have had the world at your feet! Everything I never had should have been  _ yours _ !”

Regina struggled against the grip on her, her vision blurring at the edges from lack of air. Cora didn’t notice or didn’t care, as her ranting became more hysterical.

“Why would you throw it away? Why would you choose to live like this? You could have every one of these fools on their knees and take what you want, knowing that they fear you, and yet you would rather keep company with Snow White and her spawn!?”

Cora was breathing heavily and seemed to realize what she was doing. She lowered her arm and Regina dropped to the ground at the same time, gasping for air and rubbing her throat. 

“I’m afraid I’ll have to start all over again,” Cora murmured, staring at Regina a moment longer before turning her glare to Emma and Henry. The boy cowered behind the Saviour, practically shaking in his shoes as he gripped Emma’s shoulders. She shimmied over so she was facing Cora directly, keeping Henry behind her. Cora’s lip curled in disdain; that certainly wouldn’t save either of them from their fate.

Stalking towards them, Cora reached out and gripped Emma’s face, wrenching her as close as her bindings would allow. Cora stared down at the defiant scowl on the Saviour’s face and dug her nails in. 

“You’ve ruined my plans long enough,  _ Saviour _ ,” Cora spat, her free hand out and already forming a fireball. Emma tore her gaze away long enough to see the fire dancing in Cora’s palm and she swallowed, forcing herself to look back at the witch in front of her.

“It’s not my preferred method of killing someone, but a quick death doesn’t suit you.” A wicked grin spread across Cora’s face, but before she could say anything else, thick green vines wrapped themselves around Cora’s arms and legs and flung her away. She landed hard on her back, the fireball extinguishing as she cried out in pain.

Scrambling to her feet, she saw Regina standing confident and strong, hands out in front of her and eyes blazing red. Before Cora could react, Regina strode forward and threw fireballs in Cora’s direction. Putting a hand up, Cora created a shield that absorbed the fire, but with each passing second the heat increased. She could feel herself starting to sweat.

Stopping a few feet away, Regina thrust her arms forward and sent another shockwave in Cora’s direction, this one much more powerful than the first. Unable to catch it this time, Cora put up a ward to absorb the blast; instead the combined forces of magic warred with each other until Regina’s shockwave bounced off the ward and sailed upwards until it disappeared.

Frustrated, Cora glared at her daughter.

“Stop this, Regina! This isn’t right. We shouldn’t be fighting like-!”

Cora’s voice was cut off by the asphalt beneath their feet cracking and splitting into huge pieces before rising in the air behind Regina, sharp and jagged edges facing Cora. She could see the rage in her daughter’s face; it was nothing like she had ever seen before.

“Then you shouldn’t have attacked my family!” Regina roared as she sent the pieces of asphalt hurtling in her mother’s direction. Both arms flew up protectively as the rocks hit nothing but a protective barrier, but they continued to grind against it. Cora grit her teeth, unused to being on the defensive for so long. It drained more than anything else.

Eventually Cora had to release the barrier, and as she did so she dived out of the way and watched as the asphalt pieces sailed past her head into a car parked on the street. Huffing a sigh, Cora slowly stood up, brushing the dirt of her clothes and schooling her features into a steely mask. Her daughter wouldn’t listen to reason so it was time she fought back.

Regina was about to attack when the ground in front of her exploded, sending bits of dirt and asphalt sailing into the air around her. She quickly covered her face to protect it from the debris, but it was only a distraction. Regina screamed in agony as she was hit with a bolt of lightning right in her gut, falling to one knee and clutching her midsection. Not wanting Cora to think she had won so easily, Regina hurled her own lightning attack, but Cora dodged it easily.

“I’ll give you one chance to surrender, Regina,” Cora said, stepping forward until she was right in front of her daughter. She looked pathetic kneeling on the ground like that. For years she tried to shape this girl into the woman she needed to be, and despite all her hard work, Regina still rejected her and everything she could have been. It angered Cora, so much so she didn’t know what she would do when she won this fight. 

“If you do, I’ll spare the boy.”

Regina finally looked up at her, eyes still glowing red, face contorted in pain. She was warring with herself, Cora could tell, and it only further cemented Cora’s belief that love was weakness. How could Regina fight if she held onto these attachments? It was how Cora got this far with her at all.

“Regina! Don’t listen to her! You can beat Cora!” 

Regina’s head snapped to the right and she saw Emma glaring at Cora, her expression fierce. 

“I know you can do it. You have me and Henry backing you up,” she continued, finally giving Regina a confident look. 

Cora narrowed her eyes at the Saviour and raised a hand.

“You will not interfere.”

Dark blue bolts of pure energy shot out of Cora’s fingertips and struck Emma so quickly she didn’t have time to brace herself. The scream of pure agony ripped from her lungs almost drowned out the crackling of the energy that assaulted her spasming frame. 

With a cry of rage, Regina tackled Cora to the ground, cutting off the flow of magic and releasing Emma from her torture. She fell unconscious, slumping against the lampost, and Regina could faintly hear Henry screaming for Emma to wake up over the rushing in her ears. 

Cora’s head hit the ground hard and she was winded from having another body launch into her. She gasped for breath but Regina already had her arms and legs bound to the road from the vines she had summoned. Struggling was futile; she could barely breathe, and more vines snaked through the cracks to wrap around her torso. She was trapped.

Regina was still above her, staring down with those glowing eyes, eyes that at one point looked at her with love and then fear, and Cora nearly choked at the strong pang in her empty chest. 

“Why, Mother?” Regina cried, nearly shaking Cora’s shoulders in her need for an answer. “Why would you do this? Why do you keep trying to hurt me?”

Cora looked up at her with a blank expression. It was like the questions didn’t even register. Regina was so hurt and so angry, she couldn’t stop the tears from pouring out of her. She leaned to the side and almost put herself off-balance, but managed to catch herself before falling on her face. Her head felt heavy, her eyes burned, and her stomach felt like she had swallowed a fireball. Her whole body hurt.

Cora still stared blankly at her, as if every awful thought and feeling had been sucked out of her. Regina found she could barely look at her. Still, that one question burned inside her more than anything, and the words tumbled out before she could stop them.

“Why couldn’t you just love me the way I was…?”

With bated breath she waited for an answer. Cora just stared at her, eyes empty.

Nothing mattered anymore. Her mother would never... _ could  _ never change. No matter what she did or said, Cora would never accept her. She would never love her. She would never…

More tears leaked out of her closed eyes. Holding her hands out in front of her, she summoned the ornate little box that held Cora’s poisoned heart and cradled it against her chest, not wanting to look at it.

Regina knew what she had to do, but the pain threatened to overwhelm her. How was she supposed to kill her own mother? Despite every horrible thing Cora had done to her for her entire life, Regina still ached at the thought of finally putting an end to the constant cycle of pain and self-loathing the only way she knew how. 

Holding the box in front of her, Regina slowly lifted the lid and peered inside. The black heart had only the faintest red glow in the very centre, and the rhythmic  _ ba-bump _ ,  _ ba-bump _ sickened Regina. She knew her mother had done horrible things in her life, but for it to be this dark… Regina shuddered, shaking her head. Cora made her choices. There was nothing she could do now.

Taking the heart gingerly in her hand, Regina put the box down and looked at her mother. Cora was staring at her, almost completely lifeless. If not for the rise and fall of her chest, Regina would have thought she was dead. The stare bothered her, so much so that she wanted to just leave her mother there until she wasted away to nothing. Unfortunately, this had to be done. 

Leaning forward with her mother’s heart in her hand, Regina held the heart just above Cora’s chest, hand trembling. Hesitating only a moment longer, she slowly pushed the heart inside.

The effect was immediate.

Cora gasped as her heart was returned to her body, emotions long dulled flooding her senses and nearly overwhelming her. Then came the excruciating pain of the poison as it started to work its way through her system. She jerked to grab her chest from the pain, but she was still bound by the vines. Swallowing through the lump in her throat she finally turned to her daughter.

“...Regina...”

Regina blinked in surprise. Cora had finally spoken. 

“M-Mother…?”

Cora finally looked at Regina with life in her eyes. Whether that was from being moments from death or something else, Regina couldn’t tell.

“I never...wanted you to hate to me,” Cora said, eyes searching Regina’s for some small hint of understanding. “No mother wants their child to hate them.” 

Regina recoiled at that, thinking back to her own struggles with Henry and how awful it felt to hear the words  _ I hate you _ flung at her from her sweet little boy. 

Cora let out a breath, slightly relieved to see Regina was listening and could understand at least some of what she was about to say.

“I came from nothing, Regina,” Cora explained further, wetting her lips as she prepared to tell Regina what she needed to hear. There wasn’t much time. “I was treated like nothing...like I meant nothing. To most people, it was true.”

She looked up at the sky then, thinking back to the dirty bastard that lied to her and broke her heart. There were some things that would be buried with her.

“I vowed that no child of mine would-” Cora was cut off by a hacking cough, her chest burning. Eventually she calmed down and continued, feeling weaker with every second that passed. “-Would ever suffer the way I did. Struggle is not admirable or honourable. There is nothing virtuous about being treated like dirt just because of your parentage.” Another cough.

Regina sat in stunned silence. She couldn’t speak, could barely process the words her mother spoke. Cora never spoke of her past but… Regina started to think that, maybe, Cora’s reasons for her cruelty and ambition went beyond a need to live vicariously through her own daughter.

“Don’t you understand, Regina? This world is cruel and ruthless and will take everything you have until there is nothing left. Even then it will keep taking. I tried…”

Another hacking cough shook her whole body and Regina let out a sob, releasing the vines that had Cora bound and taking her mother into her arms. 

“Mother?”

“I had to be cruel to you, Regina. I had to do whatever I could to make you into a person that could survive this world. No, not only survive… I was going to make sure you  _ never  _ had to rely on someone else. I secured your station as Queen and made sure you had no...distractions.”

Regina’s teeth clenched at that. She knew exactly what her mother was talking about.

“The only way I could do those things…” Cora paused and shook her head, curling into herself as the pain threatened to overwhelm her. 

“The only way I could do the things I did...I had to remove my own heart, Regina. I knew I couldn’t hurt you like that if I could still feel the love I have for you.” Cora’s eyes watered, and Regina stared. She had never seen her mother cry.

“I’ve always loved you, Regina. Always. So much I had to numb myself to it.”

Her breathing was quick and shallow, and Regina knew that this was it. She held tighter.

“But we would have had each other. It wouldn’t have mattered what people thought of us. We could have been a regular family: you, me, Daddy…” Regina almost choked at the end, overwhelmed by memories of her father and the last time she saw him.

Cora swallowed, body hunched in agony as she gripped at Regina’s shoulder. Pulling herself up as much as she could, she looked up at her daughter with watery eyes.

“I’m sorry, Regina. I’m sorry.”

“Mother, I-!”

Regina stopped when Cora’s fingers loosened their grip and she fell back, dead.

It took a moment to process, but the sob that bubbled to the surface shook Regina’s whole body as she clutched at her mother, unable to look at the blank eyes staring up at the sky. 

Cora was finally gone. In a way, what pained Regina more wasn’t the loss of her mother, but the flooding sense of relief that came with her death.

She was free.

* * *

Regina held in a sob as she placed a single rose on top of her mother’s coffin. Until that moment, it was almost surreal to think that she would be burying her mother in her vault. She could almost pretend her mother simply disappeared from her life, never to be seen again. This one final act, laying down the rose, sealed it in stone.

Unwilling to leave just yet, Regina kept her hand on the coffin, composing herself enough to say what she needed to say. 

“I didn’t want to kill you, Mother,” Regina began quietly. A small, humourless laugh escaped at that, though it quickly gave way to a few tears.

“I didn’t want to kill Daddy either, but it seems killing both my parents was just the necessary thing to do.” She sniffed and wiped at her eyes, glancing away from the coffin to keep herself together. While she had more tears to shed, they would have to wait.

“I never expected things to truly change between us, or to...get better… I just wish things could have been different.”

Regina paused. She took a steadying breath.

“I forgive you, Mother,” she said, her other hand coming up to lightly touch the nameplate on the side of the coffin. “I didn’t think I would forgive you, or that I even  _ could _ , but… I do. I do forgive you, and I...I hope you find peace.”

Regina felt her throat close up, nearly choking on the emotions welling within her, but she turned away and, without looking back, climbed the stairs and exited the mausoleum.

As soon as she was outside she let out a shuddering breath, finally allowing herself to breathe. Her vault, normally a place of solitude, was now filled with more death, suffocating her.

“Regina?” a tentative voice called out. Regina looked up but stumbled back a step when a smaller body collided with hers.

“Mom!”

Regina looked down at the mop of brown hair that tickled her neck, letting out a small  _ oof  _ when she was enveloped in a tight hug. Her heart melted when Henry just squeezed her tighter, and after a moment she brought her arms up and returned the hug. The distance between them had become shorter and shorter the past few weeks, and Regina was grateful that things were almost back to normal between them.

After several moments, Henry pulled back a little and asked, “Mom? Are you ok?”

He looked so earnest and worried, Regina couldn’t help but smile a little. 

“Things are...difficult right now, but… I will be, Henry. Don’t worry.”

Henry just hugged her again. 

The crunch of leaves diverted Regina’s attention away from Henry and Emma was standing right in front of her, hands in her jacket pockets and looking a little worse for wear. She smiled though, and it was almost enough to make the dark circles under her eyes disappear.

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

“How you holding up?”

Regina thought about the question. She didn’t want to lie to Henry, and she wasn’t going to lie to Emma either.

“...As best I can,” she replied, feeling Henry slip away. He latched onto her hand instead.

“That’s ok,” he said, “‘Cause Ma and I are here for you. Right, Ma?”

Emma grinned and ruffled her son’s hair, earning her a chuckle from Regina and a grumble from Henry.

“Of course we are.” Proving her point, Emma reached out and grasped Regina’s other hand, taking a small step forward. “As long as we’re around, Regina, you’ll never be alone. I promise.” 

Regina gave her a watery smile and looked between Emma and Henry, her family, feeling lighter for the first time in days. As long as they were with her, Regina knew that everything would be ok.

**Author's Note:**

> Whoo. I'll always be nostalgic for S1 and S2 SQ/OUAT. That's partially why I even wanted to write this fic. Plus I wanted Regina to have more closure about Cora, and I felt that, while Cora was still a horrible mother and did awful things...I feel like I understand her reasons. This is my attempt to show that side of her that was more suggested than explained.
> 
> Let me know what you think :)


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